New Release: All That Dutch Jazz

Jazz. Many Eurovision songs have been given the jazz treatment over the decades and this week a new CD has been released with two Eurovision songs in a jazz makeover.

Jan Menu and Jasper Soffers have collected ten more or less classic Dutch songs on their Dutch Songboog (Dig Diz Music).
There's the first Dutch winner Net Als Toen (Corry Brokken 1957) but a more remarkable choice is Wat Een Dag from 1961.
Original singer Greetje Kauffeld, a commended jazz singer herself, didn't release the song back in 1961 and the only coverversions I know are at least 40 years old.
Wat Een Dag was written by Dick Schallies with original lyrics by Pieter Goemans.

So well done gentlemen, for digging this little gem up.

I haven't heard a note of any of the songs yet, but you can find more info and a tracklist at the links below.
http://www.janmenu.com/ also in English
http://www.digdizmusic.com/

The 'Dutch Songbook' quartet are
Jan Menu (Baritone sax)
Jasper Soffers (Piano)
Clemens van der Feen (Bass)
Hans van Oosterhout (Drums)

Wat Een Dag known coverversions:
Eddy Doorenbos
- on 7" (Delta DS 1001, 1961)
Letty De Jong
- on LP 14 Jaar Songfestival (Various artists, Philips 1970)
Peter Kreuder (Piano instrumental)
- on LP Piano Parade (Concert Hall SVS 2575, 1961)

Jay en Lianie - In A Moment Like This

A coververversion of the 2010 Danish entry In A Moment Like This is recorded by Jay with Lianie May (South Africa).
It's on Jay's new solo album (He is a member of boyband Eden) and the track is getting a lot of airplay in South African radio. The album titled Solo is in the South African shops now.

The duet can also be found on the hits compilation 2CD Sokkie Is Groot.
Solo at the Kalahari shop.

Blog tips: More A Ba Ni Bi's from Thailand

I was just blogging around a bit and found two great blogs each featuring an amazing Thai version of A Ba Ni Bi, The Israeli Eurovision winner of 1978. I nicked the pics, but you'll just have to pay the blogs a visit yourself. And have a great browse while you're there.

New blog StereoMono features this great album by Hongtong Daoudon (หงษ์ทอง ดาวอุดร). Title track ฮ่วย อะบานิบี (Huai Abanibi) is the Eurocover.

The other blog tip is Monrakplengthai. This one has been going since 2008 and has loads of great Thai treats and guarantees some nice browsing hours. The A Ba Ni Bi Cover อรอุมา อะบานิบี is by Onuma Singsiri (อรอุมา สิงห์ศิริ).

Both coverversions appear to be from the late 70's / early 80's. Eurocovers already featured an Abanibrilliant Thai version of the song from 2006 (or 2549) in the Eurocovers post OST The Possible.

update Please see comments for yet another A Ba Ni Bi from Thailand, thanks Peter!.

ANOTHER COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC RECOMMENDATION FROM EUROCOVERS.

Here’s a completely off-topic CD tip for you.

A few weeks ago I bought the CD Another City, Another Plan by Riviera F..

And the brilliant electropop album hasn’t been off my speakers ever since. And since they're not #1 in the world yet I decided spend a bit of Eurocovers space on this fantastic band.
The London based Riviera F. duo are Russian born singer Alexa Marlen and Dutch guitarist Kairo. A quotation from their bio explains it all: "Talking Heads vs. Modern Talking, Kraftwerk vs. Abba, High Heels vs. Highlights, Euro Boys vs. West-End Girls, Blue Veins vs. White Skin".

Another City, Another Plan is electro at its best, not too polished, sometimes noisy (they even have some guitars) but also Pop with a big P.

Being electronically inclined, it is of course gloriously 80’s and the album has one coverversion of a favorite classic of the decade : Echo Beach by Martha and the Muffins.

Euro / Melodifestifans, it’s a bit like the mighty PayTV, but without the attitude.

If you’re not Euro / MF inclined, think Miss Kittin’s Batbox.

The album is out on their own Germ Free label; listen to some tracks at the Riviera F. Website where you can also order the CD at a snip. (or digital of course).

Highly Recommended.

It's 林育群's Time Now

Taiwanese singer Lin Yu Chun, (林育羣) participant of the One Million Stars talent show recorded It's My Time for his debut album also titled It's My Time. (Sony Taiwan 7685927)

There are two editions of the album, one entirely in English and another one with 8 tracks in Mandarin. It's My Time is in English on both albums though. 

It's My Time is the U.K. entry for the 2009 contest, written by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren. The song was performed by Jade and finished 5th in Moscow.

Lin Yu Chun website has audio excerpts of his album.

More about Jade's It's My Time releases, covers and charts here at the Moscow Collection.

Special thanks to Joris for posting.